Plant Advice Blog

Very upright yet self-supporting, these handsome plants add grace to a border with pointed flower spikes opening in a candalabra formation above whorls of long, pointed leaves. They are wonderful f...

(Bear's Breeches) Despite being a bit of thug, these stately plants add a touch of grandness to a border. Both varieties produce white flowers with two floppy lips that shelter under a shell-like p...

(Yarrow) These colourful plants are incredibly useful for growing in borders with other perennials. They add a horizontal accent to the who layout of the border, breaking what might otherwise be a ...

In recent years, some of the Latin names of these late summer and autumn blooming perennial have changed to the really hard to say name of Symphyotrichum, Galatella, etc. To most gardeners they are...

Among the loveliest border perennials, the distinctive, papery flowers look like small pin cushions.

(Elephant's ears) Mention to a gardener that you like Bergenia and you get a long, confused stare as though to say ‘what those boring things!’ But I really do like and respect these robust, immense...

There are lots of types of Campanulas, all of which provide the border with a flowery, cottage feel. The other name for this variable bunch is Bellflower for the obvious reason as the flowers are b...

These free-flowering, clump-forming plants can be divided into two groups: tall and upright with large, knob-like flowers or short and mounding with flat, wheel-like flowers.

These stalwarts of the grand herbaceous border offer structure and well-defined height. Although there are many named varieties, most are expensive and difficult to obtain.

Put Echinacea (Coneflower) into Google; and the few first pages list the plant's medical properties. But there is more to an Echinacea than a pill or powder.

Echinops, or Globe Thistles, are one of those plants that you either know or you don’t. Popular with gardeners who have space and big, deep herbaceous borders, they tend to be ignored by those who ...

It’s difficult to say why, but I always feel a touch of joy when I spot an epimedium. These delightful spring flowering plants with delicate flowers and handsome leaves are neither glamorous nor sh...